Madison, Wisconsin (CNN) -- A left-leaning website that union supporters used to rally protesters in Wisconsin was partially blocked as demonstrators gathered in the state Capitol over a controversial budget bill.

The website, defendwisconsin.org, could not be accessed on Monday and into Tuesday morning in the Capitol building, where crowds assembled over proposed legislation that would increase the costs of benefits to public employees and curb their collective-bargaining rights.

Wisconsin Democratic Party press secretary Graeme Zielinski blamed Gov. Scott Walker and Republican lawmakers -- who returned to work Tuesday -- for causing the outage.

"In a direct assault on the First Amendment, Scott Walker's administration is blocking access in the Wisconsin Capitol to opposition websites," Zielinski said.

State Department of Administration spokeswoman Carla Vigue responded, saying, "DOA's security software automatically blocked the site, as it does all new websites."

"No one here at DOA decided to block it or took action to do so," he said. "The website is handled like any other website."

The Capitol internet service, which restricts access to certain websites considered inappropriate for lawmakers, revealed a "blocked page" when users tried to access the site using the building's wireless system.

What are the specific curbs to the union collective bargaining powers? None of the MSM shed any light on that, which tells me the actual changes are not nearly as dire as the protesters would have us believe.

I've read a story that says that the teachers union's health insurance provider is a company that the union itself owns. Can anyone corroborate that one?

Someone on FOX News last night said that, if they various school districts could select their own health insurers or cover the employees in the state’s plan, they could save $68,000,000 per year. Also, I really do not have a grasp of the details of much of this controversy, but I think that removing the collective bargaining power from the state union will allow each school district (the actual employers of the teachers et al) to negotiate within the district’s ability to pay, need for staffing, etc., etc. So that the authority to determine many of these issues is put back in the hands of the local communities.

For some reason the teachers don’t realize that this is all about the unions making money from them. The bill that is being passed will allow them to opt out of paying their $1100/annual mandatory union dues and select whatever health insurance plan that they want to choose.

>>>For some reason the teachers dont realize that this is all about the unions making money from them.<<<<

We sure as hell do. I’m a teacher in Alaska, where The Union Who Supposedly Represents Me wants about $800 annually. I’ve understood for years that dues going to the NEA (and its local affiliate, the Alaska Education Association) are passed on to Democrats and others who seek a frankly statist agenda.

Fortunately, in our district, we can join the union voluntarily. Out of the 70 or so teachers on staff, about a dozen are union members.

By the way, every year The Union Which Supposedly Represents Me sends out a survey asking me what should be on the table during contract negotiations. I always write back and tell them to eliminate tenure, establish a voucher system, and institute merit pay. Not that the union will ever do that, but it is fun tweaking them.

One more thing: I get paid a king’s ransom, especially compared to what I got paid in the private sector. My benefits and health coverage are very, very good. My response is gratitude and hard work. (It shows in the productivity and test scores in my classroom.)

The teachers in Wisconsin are ungrateful whelps who deserve to be fired, just like the air traffic controllers in the early Reagan years. There are plenty of good people willing to work for what they’re offering. As a teacher, I’m embarrassed by what is going on down there. Not surprised, though.

Wisconsin Democratic Party press secretary Graeme Zielinski blamed Gov. Scott Walker and Republican lawmakers -- who returned to work Tuesday -- for causing the outage.

Veeery Interesting

I have an old classmate who I'm "friends" with on Faceboook. This friend constantly posts political stuff, which I (of course) challenge whenever I feel in the mood. One of his friends that pipes in from time to time is none other than WI Democratic Party press secretary Graeme Zielinski. I have had the oppurtunity to destroy his arguments many times, and now I find out exactly who he is.

Wisconsin Democratic Party press secretary Graeme Zielinski blamed Gov. Scott Walker and Republican lawmakers -- who returned to work Tuesday -- for causing the outage.

Veeery Interesting

I have an old classmate who I'm "friends" with on Faceboook. This friend constantly posts political stuff, which I (of course) challenge whenever I feel in the mood. One of his friends that pipes in from time to time is none other than WI Democratic Party press secretary Graeme Zielinski. I have had the oppurtunity to destroy his arguments many times, and now I find out exactly who he is.

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